Starting a club

Starting a Club

Are you looking to start a new judo club in your area but not sure where to start?

JudoScotland values the hard work of our member clubs without whom we wouldn’t be able to develop Judo-in-Scotland. This guide is designed to set out the foundations and provide you with the tools for running a successful club.

Why?

Think about the reasons for starting a club.

Have you considered why you would like to start a club?

Is there a demand and who are your target members? Will you be one of many clubs in your particular area or is it underserved? Visit our Club Finder to see.

Aims and goals are required in order for your club to be successful, you may wish to consider what these may be. Click here for help.

Taking into account your reasons for wanting to start a club, the amount of effort and time you are able to commit to a new club, the needs and demand in your local area, along with your own expertise and experience, think about the type of club you want to start, such as a volunteer-led club, a business, a charity, a community-focused club or a performance-based club.

How?

Think about the processes you need to have in place to run efficiently as a club.

Clubs should affiliate to British Judo through JudoScotland. There are many benefits to being affiliated with the Governing Body including club support, access to a national grading system, promotion on JudoScotland Club Finder, insurance cover, access to British Judo’s Club Marketing Portal and much more. Click here to affiliate your club. Any questions please contact the JudoScotland office on 0131 333 2981 or membership@judoscotland.com.

Do you have mats and equipment available to you, or do you need to consider funding? Finance can be a barrier but there is help out there, contact your RDO   or visit the sportscotland funding page for guidance on this.

JudoScotland has many resources to aid with the development and growth within your club, speak to your RDO to see how you can get involved.

Marketing your club – a club needs a strong profile, this will help when trying to attract new members and increase awareness in the local community, therefore a successful marketing strategy is key.

The legal structure is very important to ensure the best governance for your club. This can be quite daunting so sportscotland have put together a comprehensive guide to what this means.

Who?

There is a wide range of support available to help people within your club to grow, develop and perform, whether as participants, officials or coaches.

For a club to run smoothly it involves a number of people to assist with the daily operations of the club. Think about the roles within the club and what skills sets will be required, e.g. you may have a member or parent who is an accountant whose skills could be used as a treasurer, etc this can help you to build a workforce for your club. Click here for more information.

JudoScotland offers many different options of support for your club. If you would like to find out how we can best support you contact your Regional Development Officer.

Affiliated clubs will benefit from various initiatives driven by JudoScotland to promote the development of its members and increase participation. Clubs can also access participation development resources here.

Our Accreditation Scheme JudoMARK – is an excellent resource for clubs to ensure that best practice and progressive development is on-going, resulting in a safe and effective environment for all members.

You could also contact your Local Authority to see what help they can offer your club, such as with venues, funding or by joining a community sports hub.

For other information, help and support see sportscotland Help for Clubs.

Affiliate Your Club

Clubs

JudoScotland values the hard work of our member clubs without whom we wouldn’t be able to develop Judo in Scotland.
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Members

We want to make judo accessible to whoever wants to take part, as a JudoScotland member you will have access to a variety of benefits.
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Coaches

Coaches are at the front line of judo and are an integral part of clubs. We provide continuous professional development for coaches already on the pathway.
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"If there is effort, there is always accomplishment."

Jigoro Kano